The faithful God... maintains covenant loyalty with those who love him and keep his commandments. Deuteronomy 7:9.

Covenant is an important ingredient in building community. A covenant is more than a contract. Covenants bind us together by voluntary intent, and the 'penalties' for breaking the covenant are relational. Contracts carry legal obligations and penalties, and the consequences of breaking the contract involve specific monetary or judicial punishments.

A covenant is also more than a creed. Creeds tend to be exclusive, emphasising the 'truth' thus excluding 'heretics' who might see reality differently. Covenants on the other hand are relational rather than propositional. They describe the way we will act towards each other in love.

So covenants are dynamic, creeds static. Creeds tend to represent an understanding of the faith which was locked into one period of history. Surely it is fundamental to a dynamic, progressive theology that 'God has yet more light and truth to break forth from his holy Word.' Creeds are outdated as soon as they appear. If you must have them use different creeds - perhaps four or five a year. Perhaps you might rewrite the creed in modern idiom. When a new creed is introduced to the congregation, rehearse it in silence before saying it aloud. Use the same creed or covenant several weeks running.

Faithful God, who offers to enter into a covenant with your people, may I keep my end of the agreement, and obey you always. Amen.

A MODERN COVENANT

God provides food for those who fear him; he is mindful of his covenant. Psalm 111:5.

Here's a modern covenant statement, adapted from one produced by the United Church of Canada several years ago:
'We humans are not alone, we live in God's world. We believe in God: who created and is creating, who has come in the true man, Jesus, to reconcile and renew, who works within us and among us by his Spirit. We trust him. He calls us to be his church: to celebrate his presence, to love and serve others, to seek justice and resist evil. We proclaim his reign over us and the whole world. In life, in death, in life beyond death he is with us. We are not alone: thanks be to God!'

Every Christian community ought to be bound together by some form of covenant, which is renewed periodically (say, once a year). Such a covenantal community is thus more than a loose association of persons who come and go at will: they voluntarily take upon themselves serious obligations towards others. Such covenants may be repeated together at membership reaffirmation services.

And I, Lord, am part of your covenant community. You have been faithful to me through the years, you have redeemed me, I am yours. You have promised never to leave me or forsake me, to be with me to the end. And I pledge to you, my God, my loyal obedience, for ever. Amen.

BAPTISM - AN 'ACTED CREED'

We have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. Romans 6:4.

A sacrament is 'an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace.' The word comes from the Latin sacramentum, the term used for the coin given to a soldier when recruited to serve the Emperor. For people in tune with the Infinite God everything is sacramental. But the Lord serves us especially in 'the sacraments' of water, bread and wine.

Baptism is an 'acted creed'. 'I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven' ought to be our response at every baptism. Baptism is the rite of entry into the church. It is ordination for ministry. It ought to be the time when a person receives the fullness of the Spirit, and before the congregation is assured of his or her 'Spiritual giftedness'. The baptismal service should have some sort of creed or covenantal statement to express the body of beliefs and commitments of the church into which the candidates are being baptized. The Apostles' Creed was originally called the Baptismal creed.

The mode of baptism, the amount of water used and the age of the baptized may vary from church to church. The more important factor is that one is baptized in the name of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The time is coming, hopefully, when more churches will recognize each other's baptism in this way.

My baptism, Lord, means I have publicly declared by allegiance to you until death. May your risen life be lived out through me. men.